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% \ 1 the jtancaste CcDocr.' L- -i-.jj - J L_J 1 .. . ? *** TOLIMB XV. LANCASTER C. H., S. C., MARCH 21, 1866. NUMEIt 6. tr i t \ u * la -' . j . . ' Crimea atorg. EXTRAPPIXG* A MUIIDERGR :o: ???? A SPECULATOR'S STORY. to: -? Th tli* year 1833, I went to the Red River country with the view of speculation hi korsee. lands, or acylbing that niigbt give promise to a profitable return for a cash investment. Of enurse I carried a good deal of money with me, but know iflg I was going among | wild, lawless olass, of every grade and color?among uncivilized Indians, negroes, gamblers, tUieves, robbers, murderers and ??ih?iiiih, with perhaps a faw settlers of soma claim to honor and honesty, if lliajr <could be iifled out from the mata?I thought it wbuld be the safest plan not tJ setm well off in the world's goods. AccordingI y I aecuied my money in a belt about my body, put or a vary course, rough g which by intehlionat carelessness, soon had a very mean, slovenly appearance, and allowed my hair and beard to manage natters their own way, without any troublesome interference of razor or comb. Thus prapared, and armed with two re velvera and a bowie knife, I had passed over some dangerous territory in com parative safety, and Haltered myeelt that no one guessed my riches through my apparent poverty. In fact, on two occasions, I began to think it might have bean to my advantage, to have looked a little more respectable 'Hi* ftrst of theaa v?ms when, in trave'ing through til* Choctaw nation, I foun<] a drove of .hor*es that pleased m? very much and ?m to'.d by theowaer, in rep'v to my question as to what he would lake a hand.for l|ie entire lot, that ha waa not iu tli# habit.of making hit pricaa to every waodaring beggerthat choaa to eatiafv an id I a curioaity. I waa d aposed at first to put on some dignity and gat indignant, but concluded, after a careful survey of my paraon, that the man had good caul* for ip?ak d ' a* he did, and ao merely ha aured bim that I knew an individual who wished to buy boraea, if he could get the in at a fair price. The borae owner, how ever waa not di?posed to behave my stale ment, and so I peered him by, with the resolve that, it .nothing better turned up, I would give hljri another call under more j advantageous atmearancea. ^s l|i? **cond instance nl!u<)*<l to wa? similar to th* first, it may b* passed our without further notice. . but out of ibis sain* eauts g.ew a rery remarkable adventure, which it is u?y preeeot purpose to r*lat*. ; While pasaiug between two settlements, over * loaelw, gloomy hurts path, leading through a dark hemlock wood, and while i in the most solitary part, there came sud | denly before me, leaping from a thicket! on the right, a human figure of a inoel ] Meriting appearance.' It was a man of medium height, but of a stout, p)wertul I limine, All covered with dirty Uttera, llmt bo appeared'to have worn and wallnwej in for yeara. llo had no covering for Ira Load nor fan), and bia akin am ao coaled with crime that it waa difficult to tall whether he belonged to the white race or out. Ilia face, high up on hie cheek*, waa covered with a dirty brown heard, and bia matted hair hung in wild profu ion all over bia head, eicept a little apace before bia blood atiol aye a, and altogether be looked like e madmen or human devil, ilia heoda bald and awung e fortnidable dub, end bia altitude, aa he leaped into the rued before me, waa one 6f fierce menace and defiance. ' I atoppcd in alarm, -n.i wait* fixing mjr oya* thnrply upon hi*, qulatly tlid my band into a roLvaniant pockat and gra?p*d ih* butt of on* of my rarolvara, firmly determined lo k??p bim at lh? abort di*i tanca that dividad u* or kilt him if ha attempted to ad race*. For parbap* half a minula are atood ailantly regarding and aurraying aach otbar, and than ratting oaa and of liia club oa tha ground, and partly laaning forward on tha otbar, ha aaid, in a court*, gruff ton*, wi0 a chuckling laugh : **Wal^ . ma! !' in hopaa I'd got a prixa at laat; but if you'ra much battar off our ma, you don't tbow It, by ?- ! uiiauicvr, who art tou, auu wiiiri are you from T' "Well," replied I. feeling highly com. pliraenieJ, of course, that I resembled such a villainous looking object at him. -if, "Some people call me a beggar, and I know I don't pas* for gentleman." "I'll sw'ar to that haw, haw, haw," wa? hie chuckling response. "The world hain't made much of you, more'o has of me. I ftee steal in your face an plain aa daylight. What jail or penitentiary wae you in last "Never mind that, probalrly neither cf us got our deserts." "Wall, if you had been decent dra?*ed, and looked like you had (ire dollars about vou. I'd have knocked your braina out," pursued the villian, with a broad grin. "As it is, you can pats, for I aw'ar you han't got a red." Much obliged for your cnndor," I re jointd. lie till stood before me, looking straight into iny eve*, and now seemed I to be pondering some new idea. Present I ly he muttered, at if to liituael': 'I think he might do." Then a moment afterward* he said to me : 'I say, old fellow, bow'd you like to make a raise ?" "How would I like to eat when hun urr I" ? uiiikiuI : ? - ? , . *-.v?va, it IJUW lin likely that (lie scoundrel had coma dark project 'n view, which, l?y neeming lo chime in wiili liirn, ! might discover. "Wall, I've got a plan," he a*id, llirow ing down hi* cluh, as if to assure ma of liia pacific attention* toward* invaelf, "I've got a plan that will give us hotli Iota of money, and it'll lakejnal two to carry it out. I've lieau waiting a pal tliia long time, and il you'll join in, I'll go your Lalres." "If thera'a a chance to turn a penny, I'm your man !" said I. '"Good 1 ' returned he; "you look like! a trump, and I'll het on you. I don't ex actly know," lie a<ld?d, eyeing me sharp ly, "hut I tnay he deceived?an f how I J think I'll risk it. If vou go to n'av ?nv ' I game on tne, tou had haller look out for yourself, that it all." "Do I look like Mich a scamp at thai ?" returneii I, assuming an indignant tone. "Well now let's take a aeat and talk it all over." ' We found an old log and net down ; and after tome pre'inoary conversation, mt new and interesting acquaintance un folded to me a most damnable ache me, the subject of which was at follows : . - na anew :ne country wall, for miles I around, am] the exact poailiou and con dilinn of every aett'er. Ona man, living in a miliar lonely quarter, about five milaa diatant, waa a speculator in horses and cattla, which he aomatimaa bought up and drove to a dia* tant market, lie had a food deal of! money, which it was supposed he kept | aeqrel in his dwelling, and .to get pnsaeai ; i aion of thia money waa. of course, the' object he had in view. The trouble was, that the man hiiii*alf' waa a brave determined fellow, who al ways went wall aimed, and who had ha | j eidea liia wife, two grown up tone and a daughter ? a force loo great for any one : individual to encounter. About e mile from biin lived a poor widow, who had nothing worth stealing except her clothe*, which would he valuable in carrying out our plana. Tiiia plan waa first to rob the widow of her clothing drass me up in them, and have me terk lodging at the speculator's house. Then, in the night, when all the | family should ! ? asleep, I was to unbolt I the door, lot in mv confederate, and <* were to attempt the murdar of the in males?and lbs rot.bary and burning of tbo liouso oars to follow and b# lbs eon eluding acana. 1 ascratly ahuddarad at tba atrocity of : tba contemplated crima, but appearad to ! receive tba diacloaura ?nh tba bustnsaa air of tba moat bardaned wretch, inquie. ing as to tba amount of monsy at should thus probaoly obtain, and objecting to nothing but tba groat risk as should baas run, both bsfora and aftsr tba accomplish msnt of oar purpose. I permit* tad my eager companion to quiat my fears and at last consented to act. Wben everything bad tbua become aattlad, we struck off into tba fields to avoid being seen, and jest bsfora dark Cain* in sigtit of the widow'* bout*. A* my companion km acquainted wilb the premises, I insisted that be should procure lb* female garment*? but solemnly warned him that if he hurt tb* poor widow in the least, I would hare no'.bing further to do with the aff ?ir. As good lurk would hare it, the widow waagpot at lioine, and iny murderous friend managed to break in and gat lha necessary clothing without doiogany fun | ther damage. J Tli? widow being a large woman, 1 I had no t'Oiihla in arranging 111 dress so j as to pitas in a dim light as a tolerably respectable female ; and then, bating agreed upon the atorv I waa to lull, how I would manage mailers, and the signal that would assure my accomplice of all being right, we went forward together till we cam? i t? sight of the bouse to he robbed, when f msde rnv nearest war to the ma I, and continued on alone, reaclr* ing the dwelling just as the family were about concluding their evening meal. Had nit design been really what I had led mv villainous companion to he lieve, I certainly could never have gone forward with such confident boldness; hut feeling mv consciencw all right, and knowing I was acting froin a good mo live, I kept up wonderful assurance, feel ing curious to see how well I could plav rav pan aiifj to wtiatexietit 1 could curry the deception. I asked for lodging fur the night, and . something to eat, and wan kindly and hospitably received The fiist thing that bent the l>!u?.li of shame to my chsyks, ws* the coining forward of h young ladv, about eighteen, httUliful as an lio'iri, and in a sweet, gentle tone, ask'ng me if I had walked far, if I was much fat'gued, offering to lake my hood, telling me I should soon lie refreshed with a hot cup of tea. This was a little loo much for mv eqna< dimity. I cou'd have got along with ail the rest, without heing espscial'y disturbed ; but I ivas llun a young, unmarried man, and though not particularly tuieup lible to female attractions in general, I thought I lia<i never g>iznJ upon eo love !y and interesting a creature before. 1 atanunered out some unintelligible replies lepl in) hooJ well drawn over my face, and asked to be permitted to have a few minutes private conversation with the master of the house. ? Of course tins request caused cor.sid arable surprise ?but it was granted?and as soon as we ware alone together, I told bun in a few wor Is, who and w'uat I W as, and disclosed in full, the plot of my road acquaintance, to murder and rob hin. lie turned pale at the recital, and seemed much astonished, but begged me not to mention the design to his wife and dauolner. lie than rolled his l?n <>..? ?strong, determined felloes?and re? counted the plot to them, and arranged to have everything go furward at if the jcheme was being carried out at in vile author designed. It took aouie shrewd management to keep ine to my part aithoul letting the famaltft into the secret ; hut it was etl'ec* ted ; and before midnight I very can* l:o?uljr opened the door and looked out. There Mas my man, ready waiting. "It all r ght f" be whispered. "Yes, come in." As lie crossed the threshold, the fath* er and tons sprang upon hiin. l>ul the fellow wae strong and .desperate, and perhaps had some alight suspicion of the truth. Wnb a wild yeil he cleared the r uui'ed grasps at a bound, leaving a large portion of his rags in their hands. The next moment the whole four of us were in cha?e alter tha villain, a* he ran acrota the road to ({tin the cover of a wood about twenty rod* diatanl. "Fire!" shouted the father; "ahoot down the aeoundrel 1'' We were all armed and prepared, and at the word, four revolver* began to crack behind him. ltut he teemed to have a charmed life, and he atiil ran on,keeping a abort diatance ahead of ua. Once 1 fancied I aaw him atagger; but he gained the wood* and ditappeaied, and we re> luctantly and with deep chagrin gave up the chaae. ? When we returned to the honae, the wife and daughter were bulb terribly alarmed. Of course an explanation fob lowed?the hoet being dieappoioted in ranking the capture as he intended, without exciting their fears. There was no more sleep in that house that night. The next morning we went out to the wood and discovered a trail of blood. We ful owed on lor half a mile, and found the ruflisn lying dead, face dowm ward, hit hand firmly clenched upon some bushes. One of the scots tecogn z*d him as a suspected murderer, who had a couple of vears before left that part ol the country. He was buried with little ceremony. I was wariolv thanked for the part I itf?<i pihv 11 lo save ilia fHiirlv ; l?'tt from no o'lier cli?l 'he words sound so sweat lo ma m from the lip* of the beautiful daughter. The family pressed ma to stav with them for awhile, and I slaved long enough 10 lose mv heart and win another. Strange as it appears. in looking back to it, the e?ent of that villain leaping into the road before nie changed mv who!# fortune; sometimes, when I gaze fontllv upon mv wife, I am tempted to bless the <|<ik and wicked design that providentially led me to so much happiness. A Romantic I-ove Story. The Count d? St. Croix, belonging to one of the noblest ?nd wealthiest families of Francs, became engaged, after a long and assiduous courtship, to a ladv, his equal in position ami fortune, and fa mous for her he.tuty. Shortly aber the hsppr <lav ? ss appointed which was to render two loving he-irta one, the Count WHS ordered itnmedialu v to the siege of Svhaslnool ; so he girded on Ins sthre". anil *1 tli* head cf his regiment marched o tlis bait I* field. iKiri.iir ihe Count's absence. it happened lint*. his beautiful fancr had the small pux ; aft*r hovering between life and death fur nnnv days, sh* recover# I her health, but fuutul her bfalltV hopelessly lost. Thedise.se had assumed in bar case tha mutt virulent character, mii<! left her liot on I v <t is tl I'll rati bit seamed and muir ?(1 to sucli a frightful extent that she be came hideous to herself. an<l resolved to pass the remainder of her daye in the stricte-l seclusion. A year passed away sln)D,ot iUy, the Count, immediately upoii liis return from France, accompanied by his valet, presented himself at (be residence of his be r)th?d and solicited ail inter % i* wr. Thil was refused. He. however, with the persistence of h tovrr, presented In* suit, and finally th* U<!\ inxde her appear ime closely m til <1 in a double veil. At the sound of her voice, the Count rushed forward to embrace her but stepping aside, she tremblingly told Itiin the story of her sorrows and burst itito tears. A heavenly anr'e broke over the Count's handsome features, us raising bis bunds above l.e exc'ainted, "It is (rod's work ; I am blind." It was even so.? When gallantly leading his regiment to the attack, a cannon ball pasnad so close Ir to liis eves '.hat, while it left their ex pressiona unchanged, and hia countenance unmarked, It robbed him forever of sight. It is k in oil unnecessary to adl 11.at their marriage was shortly after solemnized.? It is said tliat at tins dav may otlen be seen at tlta emperor's receptions *t officer leaning upon the arm of a lady closely veiled ; nn<J they seem to be attracted to the epol by their |.>ve of m-is'c. IIiohwat IC o b n k its?The fo'lowing extract (<sv? tlie Charleston Courier) from a private latter received in this city, dated A<ken, March 8, has been handed us for publication. 'I he state of afftirs which it represents as existing in the vicinity of A keti demands immediate attention from the authorities, who, wa trust, will not be backward in applying the prop-r correc live, in as summary a manner as the out retiKft 'I'lise )?(t?ar r ** m A m oa /'..tl/vu,* "lis vsrv careful. when yon com^ up, to he urmel The country it infested wifli mounted robbers. The express wag on wu robbed near Williatnn, last night, end three hor?et And ell the money wee taken. Just's driver w n robbed of hit horse, and murdered, eight milet from litre. We were stopped coming, hat on drawing our pistols the robber* left. A man celled Morris, without any cause, .knocked a Mr. (Juthman in the head to* day. All is excitement about here.** Punch says turn lied water is a good name for grog. IIaril of Hearing. A young J nnathnn once courted llie daughter of en old man that lived down east,who professed to he deficient in hear in if, hut, forsooth, wis m >re capricious than limited in hearing, as the sequel will tend to show. It was a stormy night in the ides of , March, if I mistake not, when lightning met lightning, and loud peels of thunder .n.?..u.i ?. ? ? .1-. i ? *? ? nii.^Tri ru tmjmifr, IM'U jnilHi/lilU R-41 D? the o'il man's fireside, discussing with the old lady, la in inten<led mnhenin law, the expediency of asking the old man's per. J m'ssion to marry Sallv. Jonathan resolj ved to pop it to the old main on the next day?"l>ii?," sara he, "as I think of the task, my heart shrinks, and inv resolution weakens ? he's so danced hard to bear a body." Tn the meantime, the old man, who was hypocritical so fir as hearing was concerned, fnignel total indiifarencfl to the converse! ion between Jonathan and liia wile, hut contrary to the anticipate n? of both, he distinct'? heard everv word thai passed. By the dawn of another day, the old man was to he found in h's j barn lot feeding his pigs. Jonathan also i arose early trom bed in ihe mornm ?, am) I j spied 'Iih oil hi ?ii, and at once resolved to a^k for Sail v. Scarcely a minute had alaised after J xiHiiiHii had made liie last resolution, i ere he Ind the o'i< in tn good morning.? | Now Jonathan's lirsrl beat? now he I scratched h s head and gave hir'h to a | pensive vhwii Jonathan declared thai l.e'J as soon take thiriv nine "str pes" as in ask the old man. "lint,*' said h", aloud to himself, "here goes? faint heart n?-ver won * fair g:rl," an J addressed the old ma'i thus : I say. old tran, I want to marry your daughter.' Old man?"You want *o borrow my ha'ter ? I would lend it to yon Jonathan, but my s >n bat taken it otl to the I mill" Jonathan put his month close to the old insn's ear and speaking in a deafening ! : l I ?UICH, PHl'l ; ' I have got forty pounds of mon?v !" I The old man stepped hack, as if greatI ly alarmed, ami exclaimed in a voice of j eurpriee. "Von have got five hundred pounds of ; honey ! What ir. the mischief can I do with so much honey ? Why, it* more than all tins neighborhood has any use j for " J Jonathan, who wasn't yet (he victim of despair,put his mouth to the old tr an'* ! ear, and bawled out, "I ha*a got gold." To litis the old man replied, "So have !. Jonathan, and Us the worst cold 1 ever i * ' had in my hfe." So saying tlie old man sneezed "wash* UP" ! l>v this lime the old woman came out | and having observed bis unfortunate luck she put her mouth to the ?cl I man's ear j and screamed like a wounded Zeno, i 'Daddy! I say, daddy, you dou't understand him. lio wants to marry oui ' daughter." O d man?"I told hitn our calf halter j was g'?ne." ) O il lady?"Whv, daJdy, you can't understand, he's got gold, lie's rich !'' Old man ? He's got a cold and the itch eli ? \\ hat's the rascal doing here will itch, eh !' So saying, the old man aimed a blow At Jonathan's head wnh hi.-, walking staff happily for Jonathan he dodged it. Noi did the rags of our hero stop at this, but with an angry countenance, be made after Jonalnan, who took to bis bee's ; not I zli.l i?-t- ? * < !< "uiiuimia nil* bU>[) IiCTS. lit ll Hi, not gone from the barn yard, not far fron the old roan who run a clone recs, t-re la tubbed bis toe and fell to the groum and before the old man could take up hi tumbled over him. Jonathan sprang to his heeU, and with the speed of a Join Gilpin, he cleared himself. And pool Sally! she die 1 a nun. Neier had i husband. ?W Digln,lhe otbei day, found ?om< money in the street, "All," said he, will a knowing look, 'the papers have l?e<M ay in g money's tight, hull wouldn't hav believed it if I hadn't found it in the gut ter.' Destitution in Alabama. The Alabama journals represent lli9 sutf-rin^ in all purl# of that State as pitiable u> the extreme. The waste of farms, the destruction of agricultural implements, stock and sup* plies, kfi the people without resources, t whi'e the lateness of the season, when the Confederate soldiers laid down their arms and returned to their homes, rendered futile all efforts to ward off the tniserv consequent upon these ravag-s, by the produce of jhe next harvest. In view of these fact-., Governor Parsons directed statistics! information to be prepared, that proper measures might be taken by the authorities to relieve, as far as practicable the distress of the people. The report of the Committee, "Destitution an l Sup- ? plies,'' which haa been presented to the Legislature of the State, reveals a condition of affairs startlir g and alarming ? t KeporU have heen received from all the | counties except nins. In the counties heard from, Ihe*~e are twelve thousand live hundred and thirtv destitute families, | numbering fifty-two thousand nine hunt [ -Irel and twenty-one persons. The comj mit'ea estimate I ho amount required por i month for the support of these latnilies I at one hundred and eighty-one thousand j nine liuti Ire I and ninety seven dollars? I being at the rate of two millions one bun' dred and eight vfour thousand dollars per | annum. Tnese figures do not refer to the hlaoks. Upwards of fifty thousand white persona, without tread or*meat, without the means of obtaining it, or of removing to localities where labor could I lie exchanged for food. The supplies furnished by the Federal Government through the Freed men's Bureau, amount* ed in January to thirteen thousand ra? lions per dav, given alike to blacks and whiles Assuming that one half of this is drawn hy the black*, but six thousand five kundren rations rsmain to be divided among the fiuy two thousand whiles reported by the committee as without subsistence. The following dialogue took place on ! the Ohio railroad, between a "native" and ! a "down Fester"? I m.n ir ??.. -? i'wn i lituLi u IMU anaiJ^oi, ^uu pear to be traveling ? Native?I aiwaya travel when I am on a journey. I think I've seen you somewhere ? Verv like ! I've ofien been there. Mightn't your name be Smith ! Well, it might?if it wasn't something eUe ! Have you been long in these parts ? Never longer than at present?five feet nine 1 Do you calculate to remain here some, time ? Well, I guess III stay till I'm ready to j leave ? i I reckon vou were born in these narta? Well tny native place is here or some* where else. You travel as if money were plenty with you ? Well, I might have more, and be richer. Have you anything new ? Yes, I bought a whetstone this morning. I thought so; you're the sharpest blade | I've met with in runny a day. ? ^*1 ft-fT" 'Kitty, where's the frying pan ?' 'Johnny's got it carting mud and clam ' shells up the ally,with the cat for a horse.' 'The dear little fel'ow, what a genius ' he will make; hut go and get it. We're 1 going to have company, and must fry some fish for dinner.' I To discover how many loafers ' there are in town, all that's necessary ie 9 to set two dogs a fighting. Put up ft ' ball ally, or institute a marb!e>yard. t Pk Las' linicK.? Sambo?Wbo frew t <1 Ht Iks' brick t r Pompev.?What las'brick! i Sambo? Da brick what amaah de cob ored burta i. Pompoy?Why, Andy Johnaon frew 9 dal brick. 9 Sambo?Golly ! but he trow atrong. "Caught in her own net," the man aaid when he eaw one of (he fair ?e* ' hitched id her crieolioe.